Vorski put the question to Conrad and Otto.

 

"Eh? What does he say?"

 

"What you heard . . . . That's right," said Otto.

 

Vorski ended by making a fresh attack on the shoulder of the stranger, who turned on his couch, stretched himself, yawned, seemed to fall asleep again, and, suddenly admitting himself defeated, half sat up and shouted:

 

"When you've quite finished, please! Can't a man have a quiet snooze these days, in this beastly hole?"

 

A ray of light blinded his eyes: and he spluttered, in alarm:

 

"What is it? What do you want with me?"

 

Vorski put down his lantern on a projection⁶ in the wall; and the face now stood clearly revealed. The old man, who had continued to vent⁷ his ill temper in incoherent complaints, looked at his visitor, became gradually calmer, even assumed an amiable⁸ and almost smiling expression and, holding out his hand, exclaimed:

 

"Well, I never! Why, it's you, Vorski! How are you, old bean?"

 

Vorski gave a start. That the old man should know him and call him by his name did not astonish him immensely, since he had the half-mystic conviction that he was expected as a prophet might be. But to a prophet, to a missionary⁹ clad in light and glory, entering the presence of a stranger crowned with the double

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